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Trip from Baltimore, MD to Beltsville, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

37m

Distance

28.1 mi

45 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

census designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Beltsville, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick trip between Baltimore and Beltsville, this 28.1-mile drive is a straightforward commute that typically takes about 37 minutes. You can easily complete this journey as a simple day trip, as it requires no overnight stays and minimal planning. Budgeting just $5 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical route to navigate within Maryland. Since both cities are located in the Northeast region, you will remain within the same geographic area throughout the drive. It is a practical, efficient option for those needing to move between these two hubs without any planned stops.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 23.4 mi 27m
Powder Mill Road 2.1 mi 3m
Cal Ripken Way 0.7 mi 1m
Light Street 0.4 mi 1m
East Conway Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Fayette Street <0.1 mi <1m
Saint Paul Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 23.4 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Baltimore, MD and Beltsville, MD.

1

Start on East Fayette Street

487 ft · 23 sec · East Fayette Street
2

Turn left onto MD 2

312 ft · 10 sec · Saint Paul Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3

Continue on MD 2

0.4 mi · 1 min · Light Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4

Turn right onto East Conway Street

0.3 mi · 52 sec · East Conway Street
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left onto I 395

0.7 mi · 1 min · Cal Ripken Way
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 95 South: Washington
7

Merge onto I 95

23 mi · 27 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 23 sec
Exit 29A Toward MD 212 East: Beltsville Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn straight onto MD 212

0.5 mi · 44 sec · Powder Mill Road
10

Continue on MD 212A

1.6 mi · 2 min · Powder Mill Road
11

Arrive at destination

MD 212A

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 25.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | MD 2 / Saint Paul Street

Turn left onto MD 2 / Saint Paul Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
6
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Conway Street

Turn right onto East Conway Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
1.5 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: Washington

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 95 South: Washington
5
2.3 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 95

Merge onto I 95

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
25.7 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the exit toward MD 212 East: Beltsville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 29A Toward MD 212 East: Beltsville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.66 one way

$9.32 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.10 $10.20
premium $4.93 $5.45 $10.90
diesel $5.61 $6.20 $12.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.4 0 $2.95 $1.35
Efficient EV 7 0 $2.46 $1.12
EV Truck/SUV 11.2 0 $3.93 $1.80

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Baltimore, MD

Late night in Baltimore on Sunday

Local time

3:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Beltsville, MD

Late night in Beltsville on Sunday

Local time

3:45 AM

EDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

37m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused experience, as 83% of this route relies on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-95, which accounts for a 23.4-mile stretch of the trip. The journey transitions from the interstate onto local infrastructure, specifically Powder Mill Road and Cal Ripken Way, as you near your destination. Because the vast majority of the drive is spent on I-95, you should be prepared for the steady, high-speed pace common on major Maryland interstates. It is a functional, no-frills drive that prioritizes speed over scenic detours.

83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.4 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Powder Mill Road. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MD 2 / Saint Paul Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 28.1 miles you will encounter 6 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (East Conway Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

About the Cities

Starting in Baltimore, MD

Full guide →

“Bodymore, Murderland” · Founded 1729

Slices of American history are around every corner in Baltimore. Maryland's largest city is a gritty old seaport town that's perhaps most famous as the site of Fort McHenry, where, at the height of the War of 1812, the sight of a tattered but defiant American flag flying over the harbor, despite a furious British bombardment, inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that was later adapted into the U.S. national anthem "Star-Spangled Banner". Nowadays, Baltimore's nonstop nightlife, temperate climate, tradition of hospitality (they don't call this place "Charm City" for nothing), and cultural attractions — not to mention its prime location on the juncture of Chesapeake Bay — made it one of the major tourist destinations of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Top landmarks

  • Johns Hopkins Hospital — hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
  • Walters Art Museum — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, US
  • Baltimore Museum of Art — art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 28.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

37m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.4 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Beltsville, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (East Conway Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Beltsville, MD before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Baltimore, MD or browse trips ending in Beltsville, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.